2011 Advent Calendar

For the past several years, I've planned out an advent calendar for the month of December.  Not your typical Advent Calendar filled with toys and candies, but an experience filled calendar with loving other people and trying new things.  Things the kids always want to do, but I push off.  So everyone day from December 1st through the 25th, we plan something fun to do with the kids.  Needless to say, this has become one of my favorite traditions.  Here's what have planned this year:

Dec 1st--Find a new Christmas puzzle to put together
Dec 2nd--Family Movie Night: Santa Claus is Comin to Town
Dec 3rd--Celebrating a family member
Dec 4th--Breakfast for dinner and invite babies/dollies to dinner
Dec 5th--Visit the retirement home
Dec 6th--Read the Christmas story and set up the nativity set
Dec 7th--Make cookies
Dec 8th--Visit a bookstore and purchase a new Christmas book to read
Dec 9th--Family Movie Night: White Christmas
Dec 10th--Drive area and see Christmas lights
Dec 11th--Carol neighbors and deliver cookies
Dec 12th--Let your light shine; how do we do this?
Dec 13th--Read books in front of the Christmas tree
Dec 14th--Make Christmas cards for teachers, SS teachers, gym teacher
Dec 15th--Print and color Christmas pictures
Dec 16th--Family Movie Night: Rudolph
Dec 17th--Lydia's birthday party; out to dinner
Dec 18th--Deliver a thoughtful gift to elderly neighbor
Dec 19th--Pray for the persecuted church
Dec 20th--Star gazing in the backyard
Dec 21st--Lydia's Birthday; her choice
Dec 22nd--Reading the Christmas story
Dec 23rd--Write letters to family members in way of gifts from kids
Dec 24th--Make a birthday card for Jesus
Dec 25th--Monkey Bread Breakfast

What traditions do you like to carry over during the holiday season?

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